Written by ForexBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Saxo vs BDSwiss, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
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When comparing the online brokers Saxo and BDSwiss, it's evident that they differ significantly in their levels of trustworthiness and regulatory credentials. Founded in 1992, Saxo boasts a ForexBrokers.com Trust Score of 99, showcasing its high reputation and reliability. As a banking institution, Saxo is distinguished by holding seven Tier-1 licenses and one Tier-2 license, signifying a firm regulatory foundation. In contrast, BDSwiss, established in 2012, holds a more modest Trust Score of 73. As it is not a bank, it possesses one Tier-1 license and lacks Tier-2 licenses, indicating a moderate level of regulatory trust.
Both Saxo and BDSwiss are not publicly traded, meaning they are not listed on any stock exchange. However, their regulatory statuses could influence potential traders' decisions. Saxo's numerous Tier-1 licenses suggest solid trust and dependability, while BDSwiss presents an average risk profile according to ForexBrokers.com ratings. This comparison highlights Saxo as a more highly-regarded option for those prioritizing regulatory backing in their online trading choices.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2012 |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No |
| Bank | Yes | No |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
Comparing commissions and fees, Saxo is the stronger value for active or high-balance traders, while BDSwiss can appeal if you want a simple account setup. Saxo earns 5/5 stars and ranks #9 of 63 in ForexBrokers.com’s Commissions and Fees category, versus BDSwiss at 4/5 stars and #31 of 63.
Saxo’s forex pricing (as of November 2023) shows average EUR/USD spreads of 1.1 pips on the Classic account (minimum about 0.9), 1.0 on Platinum (min ~0.8), and 0.9 on VIP (min ~0.7). Forex trades are commission-free; however, if you trade less than 50,000 units per month, there’s a $3 per-side ticket fee. Account minimums: Classic $0, Platinum $200,000, VIP $1,000,000. Upgrades via loyalty are possible (roughly $40M in forex volume for Platinum and ~$167M for VIP, each valid for 12 months). Saxo also waives custody fees on share trading if you opt into securities lending.
BDSwiss lists EUR/USD spreads of 1.5 pips on its Classic account, 1.2 pips on VIP, and an effective 1.3 pips on the Raw account (0.3-pip spread plus a $5 commission per side). In a head-to-head, Saxo’s Platinum and VIP tiers land closer to industry averages and can be cheaper for high-volume traders, while Saxo Classic is slightly higher than average. BDSwiss Classic is expensive by comparison, and even its Raw account’s all-in cost generally sits above Saxo’s VIP average on EUR/USD.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 |
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.6 |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | |
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Low Spread Forex Brokers.
Saxo vs BDSwiss: for sheer range of investments, Saxo clearly covers more. Saxo offers 71,000 tradeable symbols and 190 forex pairs, available as CFDs or spot. It also lets you buy exchange-traded stocks on both U.S. and international exchanges (think Apple or Vodafone). BDSwiss lists 1,081 symbols and 53 forex pairs, also as CFDs or spot. Both brokers support crypto CFDs, but neither lets you buy actual cryptocurrencies.
If owning real shares matters, only Saxo provides that access. If you prefer social features, BDSwiss includes copy trading while Saxo does not. Overall, Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #3 out of 63 brokers for Range of Investments at ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss holds 4 stars and ranks #35.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1081 |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 53 |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
Dive deeper: Best Copy Trading Platforms.
Saxo vs BDSwiss for trading platforms and tools: both brokers offer a free demo account, a proprietary (in‑house) platform, a Windows desktop download, a web platform, and the ability to trade directly from charts. Key differences: BDSwiss supports copy trading and provides MetaTrader 4 (MT4) and MetaTrader 5 (MT5), while Saxo does not. If you want MetaTrader or copy trading, BDSwiss is a natural fit; if you prefer a refined proprietary platform experience, Saxo stands out.
According to ForexBrokers.com’s testing for Trading Platforms and Tools, Saxo is rated 5 stars and ranks #1 out of 63 brokers, while BDSwiss is rated 4 stars and ranks #24. Both cover core platform needs, but Saxo scores higher overall, whereas BDSwiss appeals to traders who value MetaTrader compatibility and built-in copy trading.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes |
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best MetaTrader 4 Brokers, Best MetaTrader 5 Brokers.
Saxo and BDSwiss both deliver mobile trading apps for iPhone and Android, with handy price alerts, trendline drawing, and autosaving of chart annotations. The key usability difference is watchlists: Saxo syncs your watchlists between the app and web platform, while BDSwiss does not, which can matter if you switch devices often.
For charting depth, Saxo offers 64 technical studies compared with 30 at BDSwiss. That advantage shows up in reviews: Saxo earns 5 stars and ranks #2 out of 63 brokers for Mobile Trading Apps at ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss holds 4 stars and ranks #24. If you want advanced charting and seamless multi-device management, Saxo stands out; if you just need straightforward mobile trading, BDSwiss still covers the basics well.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Trading Apps.
When comparing Saxo and BDSwiss for market research offerings, Saxo clearly distinguishes itself with several key advantages. Both brokers provide daily market commentary and maintain an economic calendar to keep traders informed of global news events. However, Saxo surpasses BDSwiss in providing forex news from top-tier sources like Bloomberg and Reuters, a feature that BDSwiss lacks. While both platforms offer tools from Autochartist, Saxo also includes a sentiment-based trading tool to better gauge market positions, which BDSwiss does not offer. These enhanced research capabilities contribute to Saxo's top rating and number one ranking in the research category among 63 brokers.
On the other hand, BDSwiss does provide unique value with its access to research tools from Trading Central, which Saxo does not include. Despite this advantage, BDSwiss is rated slightly lower with four stars for research compared to Saxo's five stars. Additionally, BDSwiss ranks at number 24 in the research category by ForexBrokers.com, indicating that although it provides solid resources, it does not quite match the comprehensive offerings and superior ranking that Saxo achieves in this domain.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Central | No | Yes |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No |
| TipRanks | No | No |
| Acuity Trading | No | No |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Forex Research.
Saxo vs BDSwiss for beginner education: both brokers make it easy to start learning. Each runs ongoing client webinars (at least monthly) and offers at least 10 beginner videos and 10 advanced videos, giving newcomers plenty of step‑by‑step lessons and room to grow. For overall quality, Saxo holds a 5‑star education rating and ranks #13 out of 63 brokers in the Education category on ForexBrokers.com, while BDSwiss earns 4 stars and ranks #22.
If you want a slightly higher‑rated learning experience with a deep video library and regular webinars, Saxo is the stronger pick. BDSwiss is also a solid option for beginners who prefer clear, video‑led guidance and live sessions. In short, both brokers provide ample training across trading topics useful for learning about forex and CFDs, but Saxo edges ahead on education quality and standing.
| Feature |
Saxo
|
BDSwiss
|
|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Forex Brokers for Beginners.
After testing 63 of the best forex brokers, our research and account testing finds that Saxo is better than BDSwiss. Saxo finished with an overall rank of #3, while BDSwiss finished with an overall rank of #36.
Saxo is an exclusive multi-asset broker with brilliant research and a superb trading platform experience – as well as a stunning selection of over 40,000 securities.
| Feature |
Saxo
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BDSwiss
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 |
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Comparing online brokers Saxo and BDSwiss for crypto, neither offers buying actual (delivered) cryptocurrencies, but both provide cryptocurrency CFD trading.
Saxo supports deposits and withdrawals via bank wire and does not offer ACH/SEPA, PayPal, or Skrill, whereas BDSwiss offers ACH/SEPA transfers; availability of PayPal, Skrill, Visa/Mastercard, and bank wires at BDSwiss, and of Visa/Mastercard at Saxo, was not specified.
Please note:
We review each broker’s overall global offering – a “Yes” checkmark in our Compare Tool does not guarantee the availability of any specific features in your country of residence. To verify the availability of any features within your country of residence, please contact the broker directly.
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
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| Regulation | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Year Founded | 1992 | 2012 | |
| Publicly Traded (Listed) | No | No | |
| Bank | Yes | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes | |
| Tier-1 Licenses | 7 | 1 | |
| Tier-2 Licenses | 1 | 0 | |
| Tier-3 Licenses | 0 | 0 | |
| Tier-4 Licenses | 0 | 2 |
| Tier-1 Licenses (Highly Trusted) | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia (ASIC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Canada (CIRO Authorised) | No | No | |
| Hong Kong (SFC Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Japan (FSA Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Singapore (MAS Authorised) | Yes | No | |
| Switzerland (FINMA Authorised) | Yes | ||
| United Kingdom (U.K.) (FCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| USA (CFTC Authorized) | No | No | |
| New Zealand (FMA Authorised) | No | No | |
| Regulated in one or more EU or EEA countries (MiFID). | Yes | Yes |
| Tier-2 Licenses (Trusted) | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenya (CMA Authorised) | |||
| Israel (ISA Authorised) | No | No | |
| South Africa (FSCA Authorised) | No | No | |
| UAE (DFSA, FSRA, or SCA Authorised) | Yes | Yes | |
| India (SEBI Authorised) | No | No | |
| Jordan (JSC Authorised) |
| Investments | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forex Trading (Spot or CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Tradeable Symbols (Total) | 71000 | 1081 | |
| Forex Pairs (Total) | 190 | 53 | |
| U.S. Stocks (Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Global Stocks (Non-U.S. Shares) | Yes | No | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| Cryptocurrency (Underlying) | No | No | |
| Cryptocurrency (CFDs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Disclaimers | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). | Note: Crypto CFDs are not available to retail traders from any broker's U.K. entity, nor to U.K. residents (except to Professional clients). |
| Cost | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average spread (EUR/USD) - Standard account | 1.0 | 1.6 | |
| All-in Cost EUR/USD - Active | 0.8 | 1.3 | |
| Inactivity Fee | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Agency | Yes | Yes | |
| Order execution: Market Maker | Yes | No |
| Funding | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $10-$5000 | |
| PayPal (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Skrill (Deposit/Withdraw) | No | ||
| Bank Wire (Deposit/Withdraw) | Yes | ||
| Non-wire bank transfer | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proprietary Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Desktop Platform (Windows) | Yes | Yes | |
| Web Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Copy Trading | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 4 (MT4) | No | Yes | |
| MetaTrader 5 (MT5) | No | Yes | |
| cTrader | No | No |
| Trading Tools | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virtual Trading (Demo) | Yes | Yes | |
| Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies (Total) | 61 | 30 | |
| Charting - Trade From Chart | Yes | Yes | |
| Charts can be saved | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile Trading | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Price Alerts | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlist [DELETED] | |||
| Mobile Watchlists - Syncing | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Charting - Indicators / Studies | 64 | 30 | |
| Mobile Charting - Draw Trendlines | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Charting - Trendlines Autosave | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Research - Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Research | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Market Commentary (Articles) | Yes | Yes | |
| Forex News (Top-Tier Sources) | Yes | No | |
| Autochartist | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading Central | No | Yes | |
| TipRanks | No | No | |
| Client sentiment data | Yes | No | |
| Economic Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Education | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Beginner Trading Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Videos - Advanced Trading Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Major Forex Pairs | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
|---|---|---|---|
| GBP/USD [DELETED] | |||
| USD/JPY [DELETED] | |||
| EUR/USD | Yes | Yes | |
| USD/CHF [DELETED] | |||
| USD/CAD [DELETED] | |||
| NZD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| AUD/USD [DELETED] | |||
| Review | Saxo Review | BDSwiss Review |
| Overall | Saxo | BDSwiss | |
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| Trust Score | 99 | 73 | |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Saxo Review | BDSwiss Review |
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